UAEA Meeting UAEA Meeting April 26, 2012 BHS Learning Commons
President Margie Elliott welcomed those present and expressed thanks to those who came to the public budget meeting.
INFORMATION: The high school is working on creating on-line courses. Some of these courses would be offered in addition to the current teaching schedule and some would be offered for credit over the summer. UAEA needs to make sure that our members are fairly treated and compensated for extra work. We are working on a Memorandum of Understanding with the district that will be fair for all teachers - K-12. We are trying to cover all possibilities that could arise.
Insurance – committee meeting with AIA. Contractually we meet with them on a yearly basis. AIA will be sending a Keynote email to the membership explaining any changes in insurance coverage. There will be increases due to our increased medical loss ratio. The increases will be between 14% and 20%; however, because we have a cap, we have been protected from a 37% increase.
Forum – Dr. Eshbach has expressed to our leadership that forum has not worked and asked if we would consider using UAEA building reps for forum. There has been a lack of volunteers to serve on forum. The issue was opened for discussion. Among the points made were:
Since forum is not a union organization and has nothing to do with the union, this could be a conflict of interest
The meetings are no longer an open forum for discussion since issues and concerns must be submitted in writing prior to the meetings. There are prepared answers rather than discussions. Perhaps forum is not necessary
If the administration wants something to be accomplished through forum, they need to be more open, less defensive, and allow issues to be brought and openly discussed.
Several of the members in attendance had served as forum representatives in the past. They all agreed that nothing was ever accomplished through the meetings. All issues were met with:
"see your building principal" even when the members did not believe it to be a building issue or one that could be resolved without the district administration involvement
anger (especially in relation to any computer/technical issues)
"we'll look into it" followed by nothing
The membership felt that submitting the issues ahead of time has caused defensiveness and lack of answers or solutions.
The membership did not feel that using building reps was an idea that would work and overall felt that a restructuring of forum is necessary for it to be a worthwhile investment of time and effort.
It was suggested that a member of the school board be included
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Meeting held at Arendtsville Elementary School Margaret Elliott presiding - 18 members in attendance
A review of the constitution was discussed. The section regarding the method of dues collection was amended in a way suitable to everyone in attendance. Members will be able to pay their dues in a lump sum payment provided that the Association Treasurer has the check in had at the close of the school day on the first Friday of the school year. Anyone who has not paid the lump sum payment at that time will be automatically enrolled in payroll deduction.
A question was raised regarding the number of building reps and the compensation for that position. The issue was resolved with no changes to the content; however, the language was made clearer to avoid future confusion. Changes were made to the sections regarding dues payments and to the section on dues for officers, building reps, and negotiating team.
Next meeting - Tuesday, November 15 - 4:30 - Bendersville Elementary School
August 29, 2011
Welcome Association Meetings - UAEA will have monthly meetings. We will rotate the location of these meetings each month so that the convenience/inconvenience of the meetings will be equally shared. Building Reps. - Building representatives will be asked to share information with those in their buildings as well as collect concerns for the next meeting to share with officers. While you may always contact an officer directly (in person, by phone, by school or home email), you may wish for the convenience of explaining something face-to-face in a timely manner with the rep in your building. Email - Member info and dues - Over the summer you got an email from Lynne Smith that explained NEA/PSEA dues increases and asked you to send her some information to make communication with all members easier. Thank you to those who did this already. A second copy of this email was sent out yesterday. If you have not sent the information yet, please do so in the next two days. Constitution & Bylaws - At our first monthly meeting, we will be discussing the proposed constitution and bylaws. You should have received a copy of this via email in the spring. Just to make sure that all of you have a copy, you will be getting an email with this later in the week Vice President - UAEA is in need of a Vice President. Please consider serving. We are especially interested in having someone from the elementary schools volunteer for this position since all of the current officers are located on the secondary campus. Terri Holter, PSEA Uniserve Rep - Terri discussed recent legislative and association changes regarding retirement, communicating with students, professional observations and assessments.
Cindie Kane - Membership - Discussed dues, due dates for notifying of intent to leave the association, and changes in dues collection.
Business from the Floor - Bob Dwyer brought a complaint about PSEA/NEA raising dues in a year where we have been asked by the association to take a pay freeze. Terri Holter addressed this concern. She said that the PSEA legislative congress, which is comprised of PSEA members, voted to make changes in the structure of dues payments. She also indicated that there were no objections to the change there. UAEA officers each sent emails objecting to the rate increase.
Closing
NEXT MEETING IS ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, AT 4:30 - ARENDTSVILLE ELEMENTARY
UAEA Meeting
UAEA Meeting
April 26, 2012
BHS Learning Commons
President Margie Elliott welcomed those present and expressed thanks to those who came to the public budget meeting.
INFORMATION: The high school is working on creating on-line courses. Some of these courses would be offered in addition to the current teaching schedule and some would be offered for credit over the summer. UAEA needs to make sure that our members are fairly treated and compensated for extra work. We are working on a Memorandum of Understanding with the district that will be fair for all teachers - K-12. We are trying to cover all possibilities that could arise.
Insurance – committee meeting with AIA. Contractually we meet with them on a yearly basis. AIA will be sending a Keynote email to the membership explaining any changes in insurance coverage. There will be increases due to our increased medical loss ratio. The increases will be between 14% and 20%; however, because we have a cap, we have been protected from a 37% increase.
Forum – Dr. Eshbach has expressed to our leadership that forum has not worked and asked if we would consider using UAEA building reps for forum. There has been a lack of volunteers to serve on forum. The issue was opened for discussion. Among the points made were:
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Meeting held at Arendtsville Elementary School
Margaret Elliott presiding - 18 members in attendance
A review of the constitution was discussed. The section regarding the method of dues collection was amended in a way suitable to everyone in attendance. Members will be able to pay their dues in a lump sum payment provided that the Association Treasurer has the check in had at the close of the school day on the first Friday of the school year. Anyone who has not paid the lump sum payment at that time will be automatically enrolled in payroll deduction.
A question was raised regarding the number of building reps and the compensation for that position. The issue was resolved with no changes to the content; however, the language was made clearer to avoid future confusion. Changes were made to the sections regarding dues payments and to the section on dues for officers, building reps, and negotiating team.
Next meeting - Tuesday, November 15 - 4:30 - Bendersville Elementary School
August 29, 2011
Welcome
Association Meetings - UAEA will have monthly meetings. We will rotate the location of these meetings each month so that the convenience/inconvenience of the meetings will be equally shared.
Building Reps. - Building representatives will be asked to share information with those in their buildings as well as collect concerns for the next meeting to share with officers. While you may always contact an officer directly (in person, by phone, by school or home email), you may wish for the convenience of explaining something face-to-face in a timely manner with the rep in your building.
Email - Member info and dues - Over the summer you got an email from Lynne Smith that explained NEA/PSEA dues increases and asked you to send her some information to make communication with all members easier. Thank you to those who did this already. A second copy of this email was sent out yesterday. If you have not sent the information yet, please do so in the next two days.
Constitution & Bylaws - At our first monthly meeting, we will be discussing the proposed constitution and bylaws. You should have received a copy of this via email in the spring. Just to make sure that all of you have a copy, you will be getting an email with this later in the week
Vice President - UAEA is in need of a Vice President. Please consider serving. We are especially interested in having someone from the elementary schools volunteer for this position since all of the current officers are located on the secondary campus.
Terri Holter, PSEA Uniserve Rep - Terri discussed recent legislative and association changes regarding retirement, communicating with students, professional observations and assessments.
Cindie Kane - Membership - Discussed dues, due dates for notifying of intent to leave the association, and changes in dues collection.
Business from the Floor - Bob Dwyer brought a complaint about PSEA/NEA raising dues in a year where we have been asked by the association to take a pay freeze. Terri Holter addressed this concern. She said that the PSEA legislative congress, which is comprised of PSEA members, voted to make changes in the structure of dues payments. She also indicated that there were no objections to the change there. UAEA officers each sent emails objecting to the rate increase.
Closing
NEXT MEETING IS ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, AT 4:30 - ARENDTSVILLE ELEMENTARY